


My number two

by Starchoke



Series: Mai and Zuko oneshots [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Badass Mai (Avatar), Bending (Avatar), F/M, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), Mai (Avatar)-Centric, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, Zuko's Scar (Avatar), i had this idea last night and had to write it, i made up some lore, this sounds confusing but it gets explained
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:40:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25844458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starchoke/pseuds/Starchoke
Summary: Avatar bending is rare, it can only be unlocked when a non-bender gets angry enough to summon their bender ancestors and can harness their power. Mai has always been fascinated by this.
Relationships: Mai/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Mai and Zuko oneshots [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1875334
Kudos: 58





	My number two

As a child Mai didn't like fables or bedtime stories, she did not concern herself with legends or myths. As much as she hated the fantasy delusions there was always one story she researched the hell out of.

Nobody knew much about the genetic lottery of who gets bending and who does not. It seemed more random than anything else but benders had to have been in your bloodline for you to have even a chance of inheriting the trait. 

Mai was not a bender. Neither were her parents. Her grandparents and great grandparents were benders and so her mom and dad held out hope for their daughter. 

Mai made up for the lack of fire with knives. Proficient with the blade since she was ten and always winning spars. Her parents were happy she could defend herself even if she could not create fire. They were confused though when they learned Mai was researching bending.

The type of bending she was researching was more of a myth than anything else. It was only done a handful of times, which made it all the more interesting. 

She was fascinated by Avatar Bending.

Avatar bending is not the thought of being the Avatar themselves but instead pulling the name from the idea of the Avatar being controlled by its past lives. There was a myth that in a situation where if both a non-bender and their bending ancestors were mad enough, the non bender could harness the power of their ancestors. Much like the Avatar state.

Mai read every documentation of Avatar Bending to ever be documented and fantasize about what could ever will her ancestors to come out.

Don't get her wrong she didn't want to be a fire bender, but the way Zuko and Azula had described it had sounded exhilarating. She wanted to feel that power surge through her, but she knew she probably would never get to.

The closest she would ever feel to the excitement of fire bending would probably be kissing Zuko for the first time. He had just told her about the Agni Kai and had professed his feelings. Zuko was definitely not an open book so for him to do something so monumental in her name felt like an honor.

After begging her parents to let her watch the fire dual they agreed. Azula would be going so Ozai must know it wouldn't get too out of hand. 

Right before the dual Mai sneaked out to see Zuko. “Normally Agni Kais have number 2s.” Zuko said, explaining the technicalities of the duel. “I dont have one though because my father said I shouldn't.” He scrunched his face at the last sentence, clearly confused at why his father didn't want anyone else on the dueling stage with Zuko. Mai grabbed his hands to comfort him, “Hey, i'll always be your second, even if it would make more sense if I was the number one.” He laughed lightly at her joke. “I never understood why people would say that someone else was their better half but, it makes so much sense with you.” He kissed her gently before she ran off to sit with her parents.

Mai was horrified to see Ozai on the stage. No wonder he didn't want Zuko to have a number two, Ozai would have killed them.

The last straw was seeing Ozai burn Zuko, it had been bad enough to see Zuko beg for mercy but when Ozai clutched her boyfriend's face and started burning it, all hell broke loose.

She really never thought she would experience Avatar bending. Even though she wished for a situation to come up as a kid she would much rather have Zuko be safe. But things don't work out like that.

Pure rage filled every fiber of her body, her eyes glowing white as she stood up. Ozais fire bending had slowed as he turned to look at the girl. Next thing anyone knew Ozai was lying on the ground, robes burned off and his entire stomach scarred. 

Mai had shot out pure blue flames. She could hear her ancestors' voices yelling in her ears. They were yelling about Zuko being a child, and Mai being in love. The conversations sounded like a lifetime when in reality they only existed for a nano second. 

Mai had no control shooting the fire. It just came out of her, raw and unfiltered. She didn't think about the consequences or what burning the fire lord would mean for her.

Fire felt so natural coming out of her hands. It was everything Zuko had described it to be and more.

When her eyes dimmed she collapsed. She had read up enough about Avatar bending to know that it drains you of every ounce of energy in you after.

What she didn't expect was to wake up a month later on a boat, with Zuko stroking her hair with a bandage covering half his face.

“We were banished, but we can return if we find the Avatar.” Zuko said calmly. “Not even a thank you for your amazing girlfriend who saved your life by doing something next to impossible.” Mai said, winsing as she sat up. “Well I didn't expect anything less, you are my number two.”

**Author's Note:**

> hopefully that wasnt too confusing lol kudos and comments are very apperciated


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